Sex And Training: Tips From Boxing

Why Don't Boxers Have Sex Before A Fight?

Oscar De La Hoya challenges and knocks out the myth

Oscar De La Hoya is one of the most successful athletes to ever enter the ring. He won a gold medal in boxing at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. He held the junior welterweight, the welterweight and super welterweight championships. His 39 wins as a professional boxer include an astounding 30 knockouts in 45 fights.

What does a proven champion think about the no-sex rule? According to the Golden Boy, having sex before a fight will not make your knees buckle. De La Hoya confessed to HBO Boxing that at the beginning of his professional career, he had sex with his girlfriend the night before a fight. While the Golden Boy says he fought the best fight of his career that night, he does admit it was a mistake on his part.

But why does De La Hoya believe it was a mistake?

Athletes in general have a specific routine that they go through when preparing for a competition. That includes staying focused and getting lots of rest. In addition, they are secluded from their wives and girlfriends as part of the training process. De La Hoya believes that his mistake was in the interruption of his training regimen. As any successful athlete will tell you, disrupting the training routine can have a negative psychological effect.

Is the no-sex rule fact or myth?

Some athletes wear their lucky underwear or they eat a special meal on the morning of the competition. Others get dressed for the game in a particular sequence. All these personal superstitions plague many athletes. However, abstaining from sex the night before a match will not affect your game.

As long as you’re not denying yourself from getting the rest you require, the physical demands of sexual intercourse should have no repercussions on your testosterone levels. In fact, sex can actually help you sleep, which in turn will help enhance your performance.

the final word

Sex, if nothing else, is exercise. If you have a robust appetite for sex and the physical ability to gratify it, then you are on your way to relieving stress and improving your health. However, while saving yourself before the big game may indeed protect a mental edge, there are no physiological benefits.